


Different Ways To Say I Love You

by EmbraceSadness



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-06-10 05:49:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6942340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmbraceSadness/pseuds/EmbraceSadness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A kind-of-sort-of-maybe series of oneshots focusing on the speedster family, and mainly focuses on Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Jenni Ognats, and Owen Mercer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sometimes I Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter is a GO!!! :D
> 
> This oneshot is based off of a picture found on Thaddeus's "F*ck ya!" page. Go check out the awesome fan art! It's gorgeous!

_Tell me, we both matter don't we?_

_It's you and me, you and me, that won't be unhappy_

* * *

 

 

“They love you. Not me.”

It was cold, dark, and they could barely breath because of the ashes that fell upon them. And, _that_ was the topic he decided to bring up?

The young boy who could be no older than seven stared over at his brother, his big golden eyes filled with confusion and hurt. The ash fell on his head like snowflakes, and he shook some out annoyed before turning back to the other.

Thaddeus Thawne repeated this phrase to Bart Allen.

“They love you, but not me. They do. I _know_ they do…” Thad began once again, wiping some sweat from his brow. He then looked around, seemingly in a panic, to see if anybody had seen that he had stopped working, before plopping down on the ground, bringing his knees to his chest.

And, he looked at him with those golden eyes of his once again.

“Thad, what on earth are you even _talking_ about?” Bart scowled, forcing himself to continue on digging. Because, if he stopped, than one of the Beetle’s might come around. And _then_ they were in trouble. _Big trouble_.

But, apparently, Thad didn’t want to work today, as he sat defiantly on the ground, seemingly waiting for Bart to answer him. Which, he had, but Bart also got the feeling that that answer wouldn’t be enough for him.

It was never enough for his brother. He always wanted more.

They were digging holes today. Holes to put the bodies of the dead in. Dead heroes. Dead civilians. Everybody nowadays was dead, weren't they? Bart and many others had been shovelling non-stop for the past twenty two hours. Honestly? Bart’s hands were covered in blisters, and he felt like collapsing. But, he knew he couldn’t. Because, then he would be punished.

It was the law.

Which led him to how unfair it was that Thad was simply sitting there on the unearthed dirt, doing sweet FA. Because, if Bart was going to work his ass off for his life, then so was Thad! And, it wasn’t like Bart was going to do his work for him, either.

God knows how many times he had been tricked into doing that already…

But, Thad seemed slightly more serious today than he had been other days. A tad bit more depressed. He stared at the ground as though it had suddenly become the most important thing in the world. He began tracing symbols in the dirt, cramming grime and filth underneath his fingernails.

“You know _exactly_ what i’m talking about.” Now it was Thad’s turn to scowl, as he suddenly halted tracing the symbols and gripped the dirt beneath him until his knuckles turned a ghastly white. He was shaking all over, and his bangs now hung over his eyes so that Bart could no longer see the expression in them.

Bart was beginning to worry for him.

“Max, Helen, Wally, Irey, Jay, Iris, Owen. Even mo-Meloni!”

He let out a shaky breath, but continued on staring at the muddy soil below.

“They all love _you_ but not _me_ …”

At this point, the shovel was completely forgotten. Bart dropped it instantly, and it fell to the floor with a _‘thunk’_. He walked slowly and somewhat hesitantly towards his brother, whom was still shaking. At this point, Bart figured it wasn’t because of the cold. He also figured that he was stupid for thinking it was the cold in the first place.

He felt like kicking himself for not noticing Thad’s peril sooner.

“They l-love you, b-but not-”

And then Thad burst into tears.

Now, unlike Bart, Thad wasn’t a very physical person. He didn’t “do” hugs, and did not give nor receive kisses from others. He was a very proud person, even at the ripe age he was. Which was, technically, a good thing, considering the situation they were currently in.

But, sometimes, you just really needed a hug.

 _Now_ was one of those times.

This time, Bart did not hesitate to run over to Thad and collapse beside him on the ground, hugging the sobbing boy close to him. He whispered false promises in his ear and ran his own dirty and sticky fingers through Thad’s messy blonde hair. His brother continued on crying, hiccuping and sniffling his way through his sorrow.

And Bart just sat there, drinking it all in.

Thad thought nobody _cared_ for him? Did he even _know_ how wrong he was?

Back before he and Thad had been placed in this camp by the REACH, Max and Helen would always tell Bart about how much they loved Thad, and if he ever needed a place to stay, then he was welcome back at home. Wally always said “the more speedsters, the merrier!”, meanwhile Grandma had seemed to take an instant liking to the clone. Irey and Jay? They enjoyed Bart’s company, so why not Thad’s?

Bart himself didn't know Owen very well, so he couldn’t say for sure on that one.

But mom? If Thad thought that their mother didn’t care for him, he had something else coming his way!

“Thad. _Thad_. Look at me.”

He did.

His usually bright eyes were filled to the brim with tears. There was snot running down his chin, and he rubbed at his red eyes with the back of his hand. He stared into Bart’s identical yet different gold eyes, and blinked back the remaining tears, sniffling all the while.

“But-!”

“Shh.”

“And-!”

“Shh.”

  “What if-!”

“ _SHH_.”

And Thad was silent.

They continued on like this for a while. Bart was aware of the looks they were receiving from onlookers, but couldn’t really bring himself to care at this point. All that mattered in that moment was the fact that his brother needed him.

And Bart was going to be there for him.

He always would.  

“Thad…” he began hesitantly, tilting his head to the side, “Y-you think they don’t care?” Thad suddenly averted his gaze, as though embarrassed to even look Bart in the eyes. Though he didn’t speak, Bart knew the answer.

He always did.

“Thad, you’re so wrong. And, you probably don’t even know it!” The boy looked up at him with a shocked look on his face, his entire expression morphing into one of that of awe and confusion. Bart wiped some of his twin’s (twin’s, _not_ clone’s) tears away with the back of his thumb before planting a kiss atop his brother’s head.

“They love you, Thad. Love you just as much as me, if not, more! Max and Helen? They’d _love_ to have you stay! They offered it, but you denied! And, they didn’t want to push you, so they let you be. Wally, Jay, Irey, and grandma? They love you just the same! They’d gladly give  themselves up to the REACH for you any day! And, mom and Owen? Well, Thad, you know them better than me…”

Bart’s eyes narrowed fiercely as a look of pure and unwavering devotion settled in his eyes. Thad had since wiped his tears, and bristled as soon as this fiery look had taken over the usual soft complexion of Bart’s face.

“ _Of_ _course_ they love you Thad. You’re an _idiot_ for thinking _anything_ else....”

And with that, Bart turned away from his brother, completely ready to start working again (they should _really_ get on that, shouldn’t they?) and forget that this entire predicament had even happened in the first place.

After all, that was what he did with most of his life.

But, what he hadn’t been expecting was a tiny hand to grip his own tightly, preventing him from departing any further. Bart turned back, his neck on an awkward angle. Thad was standing up now, his eyes boring into Bart’s own once again.

His bottom lip quivered as the following words tumbled from his lips;

“Tell me. We both matter, don’t we?”

And Bart thought long and hard about that. And, during that period of time, he realized something.

Thad was right.

All the others that Thad had been accusing of not loving him? All those people that had hurt them? Hell! Even the Beetles didn’t matter! In their eyes, nothing did. And, nothing ever could.

Why?

Because they had each other. Because they didn’t need anybody else _other_ than each other. Because, unlike most people, they trusted each other. They could depend on one another to help them when they were feeling down and have their back when they could no longer defend themselves.

Because, despite all the crap that they had gone through in their lives, they were still together.

And, really? _That_ was all that mattered.

And so, Bart put both of his hands on Thad’s shoulders and squeezed tightly. The boy looked up at him, a bit taken aback once again. But, after the soft smile that Bart gave him, he seemed to relax and his entire face just seemed to light up, as a smile overtook his usual bland and hollow features.

“It’s _you_ and _me_. You and me that won’t be unhappy…” Bart answered confidently, and Thad’s expression seemed to light up even more. Bart gave his brother’s shoulder one final squeeze before removing his hands and motioning over to the shovel and half-dug hole nearby with his head.

“Come on now, partner! We’ve got a hole to finish digging.”

Thad grinned and walked past Bart with ease, as though nothing  had happened minutes before. He studied the hole almost thoughtfully, and Bart couldn’t help but feel as though, from now on, everything was going to be okay.

That they were going to be alright.

“Yeah. Hey! Maybe we can throw Blue down it!”

And Bart couldn’t help but laugh.

 

 

 


	2. Of Suns And Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Bart forces Thad to meet up with Jenni, and the two have an interesting talk.
> 
> Things don't go to plan. Secrets are revealed.
> 
> But, Thad's strangely okay with that?
> 
> Or, the hurt/comfort that nobody asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kind of just happened. But, oh well. I'll just completely neglect Train Station for a while longer. Lol.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. I don't know HOW many times I have to say it, but I DON'T.
> 
> Enjoy, I guess.

_Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But, things will eventually get better, and you'll be able to say-_

* * *

 

The light shone down on them both, its brightness all but blinding them.

They were sitting in a field by some meadow Thad had happened across some time ago on one of his daily runs. It was almost as though they were sitting right in the middle of a photography shoot; green grass and blue skies. A few ways away from them, the splashing of a stream and children's giddily laughter could be heard. Birds were flying across the eternal blue, and Thad couldn't help but stare wide-eyed at the sight before him.

Jenni Ognats turned to look at Thaddeus Thawne ("the second", he would persist).

"You don't see this type of thing every day where you come from, huh?"

Thad blinked, as though suddenly realizing somebody was talking to him, before returning the intense stare Jenni was giving him.

Honestly? When Bart had insisted he spend some time alone with his "cousin" (technically she was, he supposed), Thad had _not_ been looking forward to it. He had better things to do than waste all of his precious time on some relative he didn't even know.

He was content with things the way they were. He found he didn't require the quality of "getting to know people". At least, not like Bart did…

But, now, he was beginning to reconsider that choice of action he had so rashly made.

After _literally_ being forced to come by his know-it-all brother, Thad had found himself face-to-face with this "Jenni" girl.

She was an odd one if Thad had ever seen one. Creamy dark skin and light brown eyes; she had a smile that seemed to be warmer than that beach he had once visited in Florida. Upon meeting her, Thad had been expecting her to be exactly like Bart was;

A loud-mouthed idiot who didn't know how to keep their mouth shut.

What he hadn't been expecting was her to be the complete opposite. What he hadn't been expecting was this…

"Lemonade?"

Thad blinked once more, and turned his attention back to Jenni. She was smiling brightly, hand extended with the canned drink clutched in it.

He suddenly realized how sweaty and thirsty he really was. Running here had been no simple task.

"Thanks." he replied curtly, taking the drink from her. He popped it open with a " _Pssh_ " as the fizz escaped from the tab that had popped undone. He took a sip, and found he could taste it before it even reached his taste buds. Instantly, the drink soothed him like a mother would soothe her child. He felt the sugary goodness slide down his parched throat with ease. Thad gulped at it greedily, like a child sucking at it's thumb.

When he finally took a break to wipe at the corners of his mouth with the back of his hand, he took into account the almost sad look Jenni was giving him.

" _What_?" he all but snarled out. He found that he couldn't help the obnoxious tone that laced his voice as he said it. After all, it was a defense mechanism, and one that was difficult to abandon at that.

Jenni let out a sigh (the first of many), shaking her head softly. Her deep, brown eyes sparkled as she stared up at the merciless sun beating down on them. He could see some of the sticky juice dribbling down and off her chin.

Then, she laughed.

And, Thad couldn't help but crinkle his nose and furrow his eyebrows in confusion at the sheer oddness of the situation.

Bart's cousin was far more crazy than he had originally thought…

"I was just thinking-" she began, eyes watering. Thad honestly could not tell if it was because of the sun up above them, or something else…

"-where you come from, you don't have any of this, right?"

Thad's blood ran cold.

It all made sense now, though. He understood what she was-and had been trying to-say. She had mentioned it before, but like the idiot he was,Thad had not picked up on the true meaning behind her words.

' _You don't see this type of thing every day where you come from, huh?_ '

Thad fell silent.

"Bart told me about what happened." Jenni explained quietly, "Where you came from. _Why_ you came back here. And, I mean, i'm not from around here either, if you know what I mean-"

Time traveller. Thad understood just fine.

"-but, what you guys went through? I-I can't even _begin_ to imagine..."

Jenni trailed off, her eyes still facing the sun up above. Thad's, meanwhile, were glued to the ground down below.

'An accurate depiction of reality' he thought bitterly to himself, clenching his fists together tightly.

Stupid idiot of a brother. Blabbing on about things he _shouldn't_ be blabbing on about…

"And so," she picked up again out of the blue, "the fact that this is your first time seeing a field this green and a sky this blue? Your first time sitting under a sun that shines this brightly?"

She shut her eyes tightly together, breathing in deeply.

"It just makes me sad. That's all."

More silence. People said that words hurt, but silence was a different kind of murderer all together. Thad's throat had long since run dry, despite the drink that he had previously been drinking not so long ago.

Even more silence. Thad hated that.

What he did next could only be credited to his brother. The fact that Thad had been hanging around so much surely meant that some of the idiot's kindness was rubbing off in him. After all, there was no other logical explanation for Thad's following actions _other_ than that.

Thad reached over and took Jenni's hands in his own.

The dark-skinned girl looked back over at Thad in shock, eyes wide and filled to the brim with surprise. She was obviously taken aback. Frankly, so was Thad. Their eyes locked and Thad found that he simply could not tear his gaze away from her own piercing

Well, it was too late to turn back now, he supposed,

Taking a deep breath in, Thad willed himself to carry on with what his subconscious had been planning on doing. With new found strength and courage, he squeezed Jenni's hands in his own, forcing himself to ignore the clamminess of said hands, and his far-too-loud, rapidly beating heart.

There was only one thing he needed to focus on in that one moment.

Jenni.

"You shouldn't worry about what my blockhead of a brother and I went through before we came here." Thad began, feeling his heartbeat pick up even more. He felt a slight blush form on his cheeks at the sudden proximity between the two.

This was the closest Thad had ever been to a girl. Despite the fact that this was his cousin.

"It's true that it was not most pleasant, and some of the things we did were most unspeakable-" Thad sighed, "-but, what's done is done. I can't go back and change it. Neither can Bart. That's just that. We can only focus on moving on from all of that, now. Look to the future and hope for something better."

The corners of Thad's mouth twisted slightly upwards, and he squeezed Jenni's hands one more time before finally letting go and moving a comfortable distance back.

"So, don't worry about it, okay? Because, there's really nothing to worry about…"

More silence. But this time, Thad found it easier to deal with. To accept. All the tension in the air had been lifted, and Thad found himself coming to terms with a sudden air of peace.

Peace. _Thad_ of all people felt _at peace._

The thought was almost laughable.

* * *

The rest of their day was spent that way. They soaked in the silence and rays of the sun.

More importantly, they did it _together_.

And, by the end of it all, when the sun was setting in the distance, it's rays now coloring the sky a pinkish-yellowish, something that seemed almost unfathomable to him, he turned to look back at Jenni.

"We should do this again

She blinked, and met his gaze. A smile found its way onto her

"Yeah. _We should_."

* * *

 

_-I made it._


	3. Texts Between The Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Texts between the kids! Let's see how this goes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, and comment down below!!!
> 
> (and, sorry in advance for the bluepulse...XDD)

B: will

T: will not

B: will

T: will not

B: WILL

T: If you don't stop now, then you'll be WRITING a will

* * *

J: hey, are we still on for tonight?

O: This may sound stupid, but who is this again?

J: ?

O: somebody deleted all my contacts. I have no idea who this is…

J: …

J: This is Spongebob

* * *

B: Thhhaaaddddd?

T: jesus almighty

B: ppllleeeaaaassseeeee

T: no

B: pllleeeaaaasseeeeeeeeeeeee

T: no

B: PLLLEEEAAASSEEEE

T: fine

* * *

J: Hey Bart! How did it go in the end?

T: Actually, this is Thad

J: OH. Whoops.

T: How do you even get us confused, this is a TEXT MESSAGE

* * *

T: I'm tired of people thinking i'm you, Allen

O: actually, this is Owen

O: If it's any help, i'm also tired of people thinking i'm Bart

* * *

B: So, I just woke up in a bed with some dude in a poncho and sombrero. He keeps yelling at me in chinese, or something, but i'm really more concerned about the donkey peeing on my suit in the corner

J: how do you even…?

* * *

T: I LOVE YOU

O: UM...

T: SO MUUUCCHHHHHHH

T: *kisses*

O: Thad? Are you high? Again?

T: goddammit

T: Sorry. The idiot stole my phone.

O: the sad part is you're going to have to be a little more specific on which idiot you're talking about

* * *

O: I feel like we're the parents in this relationship

O: and, i'm the only real legal adult

T: bitch, i'm over two hundred years old. Do not question me.

O: I am now a single parent in this grand shebang. Awesome.

* * *

B: I feel like we never talk!

O: good.

* * *

T: so

T: I woke up today, and my hair was dyed purple

J: OMG

T: I demand to know who is responsible.

J: I CANNOT BREATHE

* * *

O: Bart, did you dye Thad's hair purple?

B: SOMEBODY DYED THAD'S HAIR PURPLE!?

B: GET THE CAMERA

* * *

T: I am surrounded by idiots

J: bah humbug

T: this just furthers my point

* * *

B: i'm thinking of upgrading the suit

T: please do

T: as your nemesis, I must have the same outfit as you

T: the current one doesn't have a zipper

T: do you see how this could be a problem?

* * *

J: i'm bored

T: fuck off

J: WELL THEN

* * *

B: Thad

B: Thad

B: Thad

B: Thad

B: Thad

B: Thad

B: Thad

B: Thad

T: WHAT. WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT, YOU HAD TO WAKE ME UP

B: I love you

T: i'm officially disowning you as a brother

* * *

T: i'm disowning you as a brother

O: oh please

O: I already did that a LONG time ago

* * *

J: so

J: I was sitting in the park eating nuts yesterday

J: and this squirrel comes up to me

J: and bites me

B: were the nuts good?

J: …

J: Bart, I was bitten by a squirrel

B: Yes, but were the NUTS good?

* * *

O: help

B: Bart Allen, at your service!

O: You need to call 911

O: i'm going into anaphylactic shock

O: it's an insane allergic reaction

B: were you eating nuts again?

O: accidentally, yes. Now i'm having a terrible allergic reaction. I cannot breathe. Help. Please

B: were they any good?

O: Bart, i'm DYING

B: yes, but were the NUTS good?

O: you know what

O: i'm just going to die. Better than having to deal with you.

* * *

B: sometimes, I feel sad inside

T: go tell somebody who cares

B: I thought you did

T: well, you were mistaken

B: I would tell you to go fuck yourself, but you'd probably be disappointed

T: O.O

* * *

T: did you teach Bart what comebacks are?

J: I might have

T: you huge wanker

J: I would tell you to go fuck yourself, but you'd probably be disappointed ;)

* * *

O: knock knock

B: come in

O: no

O: you're supposed to say: "who's there?"

B: why would I say that?

O: because you do. That's just that.

B: But, if they were knocking, it would probably mean I didn't know who they were. And, if they answered with the response of who they were, but I did not know them, I would not be able to recognize them, because of the fact that there is a door in the way

B: consequently, if it were somebody I could not recognize by voice patterns, there would be no point in asking who was there, as I would not know who they were to begin with. Even if they told me and it somehow made sense, how could I possibly know whether or not you are telling the truth, and are who you say you are, as there is a door in the way

O: Bart, it's a knock knock joke

B: this is no joke, Owen. Because, there comes a time in our lives when we have to ask ourselves, who's REALLY on the other side of the door?

* * *

J: peanut butter

B: jelly

J: SANDWICH

B: SANDWICH

J: …

J: it's stuff like this that makes people assume we're crazy

* * *

B: you know what they say

B: great minds think alike!

T: i'm so glad you're not a great mind

* * *

O: why is Bart in my bed?

O: WHY IS JENNI IN MY BATHTUB

T: I had to leave the bodies somewhere

O: THAT'S NOT FUNNY

* * *

B: I feel like singing a song

B: but have no one to sing with

B: would you sing with me, dear Thad?

* * *

T: Bart's coming to visit

J: oh! Yay! When?

T: right now

T: this instant

J: JESUS CHRIST HE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME

T: I tried to warn you

J: Honestly, this is what I get for being born into a family with superspeed

* * *

O: Bart almost killed me yesterday

J: again?

O: this time, he tried recreating that experiment that gave you all super powers on me

O: i'm in a wheelchair

O: my fucking chest hair is singed

* * *

B: i'm a manly man!

O: I honestly wish you were

O: then you wouldn't be my responsibility anymore

* * *

T: was I really that drunk?

O: dude, you asked Bart to marry you, and he said yes. You had this whole celebration. You named your kids Gerald and Blasy.

T: I may have been a little tipsy…

T: on the plus side

T: at least i'm married now

* * *

O: okay, I have the bodies, where should I put them?

J: just leave them down by the river, just the way we planned.

O: O.O

O: I didn't actually expect you to play along

J: Oh. Sorry Owen. That was meant for somebody else.

O: O.O

* * *

J: I JUST TRICKED OWEN INTO THINKING I'M A MASS MURDERER

J: THIS IS AMAZING

T: It was then that Thaddeus Thawne the second reavaluated his choices in life as well as his taste in friends, and wondered just how he had gotten stuck in this situation in the first place.

* * *

O: okay. I'll admit it.

O: You were tight.

T: Oh? ;)

T: How tight was I?

T: I didn't know you swung that way, Mercer

O: ?

O: CHRIST ALMIGHTY, NO

O: RIGHT******

T: glad to hear you think that i'm tight

O: OMG. NO. SHUT UP.

* * *

T: the idiot's calling me

T: give me a sex

J: ew

J: no, Thad. That's just gross. Tbh.

J: Even for you, that was taking it too far.

T: wat

T: WAIT, NO

T: SEC. GIVE ME A SEC. I MEANT SEC JENNI. I SWEAR

J: Uh huh.

T: FUCKING AUTOCORRECT

* * *

O: Sometimes

O: I think about how amazing this world can be. And how much there is worth living for. How precious life can be.

O: Then I think of you, Bart

O: and it all goes away…

* * *

J: roses are red

J: violets are blue

J: but I wouldn't know that

J: cause you never buy me flowers

J: you bastard

T: Well that escalated quickly…

* * *

B: THAD

B:THERE'SAMOTHINTHEBATHROOMANDIT'SSCARINGMESOYOUHAVETOCOMEKILLITQUICKPLEASEI'MSCARED

B: Thad

B: THAD PLEASE

T: Thad is dead. You're next. Love, Moth.

* * *

O: dude

O: I just found Bart curled up on my couch

O: he keeps on repeating that you're dead and that the "moth" is going to get him

O: wtf did you DO

T: ...I did good

T: that's what I did

* * *

J: And I was like, "no way!"

J: "we're BFF's!"

B: why were you _**b**_ anned _**f**_ rom _**f**_ ridges?

J: …

J: I have no words, Bart

J: none

* * *

O: why do they call it Facebook

O: If there are no faces on it, really

O: if you don't have a profile picture

O: it's just a guy with no face

O: I am so confused right now

T: It was then for the second time that Thaddeus Thawne the second reavaluated his choices in life as well as his taste in friends, and wondered just how he had gotten stuck in a situation like this not once, but twice

* * *

J: why do you have a picture of Bart bound up and gagged on your phone?

T: Give it back. Never speak of it again. And I promise I won't kill you.

* * *

B: I see you

T: I'M IN THE SHOWER WTF

B: why do you have your phone in the shower with you?

T: BART. NO.

* * *

O: I JUST RAN OVER A SQUIRREL

T: good

O: I'M CRYING ACTUAL TEARS

T: squirrels are literal dickwads. Die, motherfuckers.

O: SHOW A LITTLE COMPASSION

T: a little what now?

* * *

B: Owen, where are you?

O: just leaving Walmart. Coming home now.

O: why?

B: you took me to Walmart with you…

O: FUCK

* * *

B: Owen?

O: yup.

B: what's this "pornhub" Jenni keeps trying to convince me to go on?

O: ...

O: Bart. Whatever you do. Do not go there.

B: ?

O: It is a bad place. Where youth is murdered and innocence taken by force.

B: Um, are you ok?

O: YOU MUST NEVER GO THERE

* * *

J: do you want to dance with me?

J: why won't anyone dance with me?

* * *

O: just got back from ripping into your grandma

T: Um...

T: dude. Barry's going to be pissed.

O: NO

O: JESUS

O: VISITING

O: VISITING YOUR GRANDMA

O: I WILL HURL THIS PHONE OUT A WINDOW

T: wow

* * *

B: making my way downtown

B: still making my way downtown

B: oh, look, i'm in Argentina

* * *

O: standing in the middle of an iceberg

O: would very much appreciate it if one of my relatives would come get me

O: one of my SUPER-POWERED relatives

T: jesus. Drama queen. I'm on the way. Calm your tits.

* * *

J: Disney movie marathon?

B:Iamcomingwiththepopcornandsodarightnowdon'tyoudaremovethisisgonnabesupercrashhellyes

* * *

O: I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel

O: I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real

T: good for you, Owen

* * *

T: I just realized

T: If I rearrange your name

T: it spells "Brat"

B: …

B: you're only figuring that out NOW?

T: I feel complete in life

* * *

O: that awkward moment when you forgot to lock the cellar door and your prisoner makes a wild escape attempt and you just barely manage to catch them

J: WHAT

* * *

T: I feel like i'm clinically insane

J: you're insane period

* * *

O: how are you?

B: not dead

O: always good to hear

* * *

T: don't touch that

B: WHERE ARE YOU EVEN

* * *

O: I need help with a school project

O: how exactly does one do it in one night?

J: you're fucked

O: figured as much

* * *

B: Thad?

T: what

B: help

T: help?

B: help.

T: why?

B: i've been kidnapped

T: bullshit

B: *sends picture of selfie with Captain Cold, Trickster, and the other Rogues*

T: WTF

B: send help

* * *

O: did Bart get kidnapped?

O: again?

* * *

J: eenie meenie minie moe

T: I'll cut off your pinky toe

J: O.O

T: is that not how it goes?

* * *

T: this movie makes no sense

T: the kid who was kidnapped should be smart enough to just run away

T: and not trust his cellmates that he meets in prison

T: and the main character shouldn't be as stupid as to trust the mentally ill woman to help him out

T: it's always better to go alone

T: everyone knows that

J: jesus Thad, it's Finding Nemo

* * *

O: did you just fly past my house?

B: yeah!

B: Blue's taking me out for some _fun time_ together!

O: HE'S WHAT

* * *

O: Why wasn't I aware that Bart and his new friend "Blue Beetle" were dating?

T: THEY'RE WHAT

* * *

T: hey, did you know about Bart dating this new friend of his?

J: what

* * *

J: Um, Bart?

B: yeah

J: have anything to tell me?

B: hmmm?

J: anything...boyfriend related?

B: ?

* * *

B: An apple a day keeps the doctor away

T: an apple a day keeps Thad away

B: you're scary

T: Boo

* * *

_GROUP CHAT! :D_

O: Kay

O: i'm at McDonald's

O: Waddya guys want?

B: BIG MAC

O: no

O: i'm not getting you a big mac Bart

B: why notttt?

O: because

O: you're a small boy that eats WAY too much

O: you'll get obese

O: this shit is super unhealthy

O: see, i'll ask the same question to Thad and Jenni, and they'll respond with appropriate answers, watch:

O: Thad, Jenni; what do you guys want?

T: Big Mac

J: a big mac, please!

O: …

T: we're speedsters

J: Eating a lot is just in our nature!

B: I have a crazy metabolism

O: -_-

T: I'll have two, actually

B: THREE PLEASE

O: why do I even bother?


	4. Video Games And Owen Basically Sucking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title basically says it all!! XD

 

 

 

Honestly, when Bart and Jenni suggested they play video games together as a family, Thad _knew_ he shouldn't have accepted…

* * *

MARIO KART 8

"I CALL BABY MARIO!"

"No way! I wanted to be Baby Mario!"

"Jenni! Bart! Would you quit fighting? We're not even five minutes in."

"Well if BART would just let me have Baby Mario-"

"JESUS CHRIST. THERE ARE OTHER CHARACTERS."

* * *

"I'm going to beat your ass."

"Yeah right, Thad! You're in seventh! There's no possible way you could-"

"ROCKET _BiTCH_."

"WHAT THE CRAP."

* * *

"What!? BART! Why would you do that!?"

"Sorry Jenni. The turtle shell's got to do what the turtle shell's got to do…"

"Not. Cool."

"Hey! At least it wasn't a rocket!"

"Not funny…"

* * *

"How come the pink dinosaur is coming after me?"

"Birdo?"

"No. The other pink dinosaur. With the pink sunglasses."

"...Bart, that's Roy...A koopaling."

"Your point being?"

* * *

"The pizza's here."

"Damn. We're in the middle of a race."

"I suppose the delivery guy will just have to wait until it's over!"

* * *

"It's been over half an hour, and I think the delivery guy is still waiting. Should we-?"

"Just this one last race!"

* * *

"I bet you twenty bucks Bart will lose. Again."

"I refuse to bet."

* * *

"OHMYGODNOBLUESHELLFUCK."

"Ha ha! SUCKER!"

"THAD. YOU LITTLE-"

"Look who's in first place NOW, BITCH."

* * *

"Owen? Could you maybe slow down a bit? So I could overtake you and get first?"

"Hell no."

"What!? Why not?"

"Because this is my chance to get you back for all the times you've annoyed me, Allen. I'm not letting it slip away. I _WILL_ BE VICTORIOUS."

"I'll tell mom."

"... _Dammit_."

* * *

"It's so obnoxious how he yells "Mario Kart 8" at the beginning…"

"... _That's_ what you decide to focus on?"

"I'm _just_ saying."

* * *

"Why do I have to play with the wheel?"

"Because I say so, Allen."

"Then why do you get to play with the gamepad, Thad?"

" _...Because I say so, Allen."_

* * *

"Um, Bart?"

"That is my name, yes."

"Why did you choose the cat car?"

"Because the pink dinosaur was intimidating me."

" _Right. Of course."_

* * *

"There you go Jenni. You can have your _stupid_ Baby Mario. I hope you're _f*cking_ _happy_."

"Well, I don't want it now that _Bart's_ used it all up…"

"IS THERE NO PLEASING YOU TWO!?"

* * *

SLENDER: THE ARRIVAL

" _So often are we guided by our devotion, our love, our affection-_ "

" _Our assholes_."

" _-a bond that pulls us down paths not bargained-_ "

"Like, say, a forest?"

" _-and when you find yourself alone and HE casts out that bedevilling gaze-_ "

"Is he casting out "that bedevilling gaze" because we forgot to do the dishes again?"

" _-how far will it carry you?"_

"Oh yeah. This is _DEFINITELY_ the beginning of a clichéd horror game…"

* * *

"This doesn't look like a horror game…"

"Yeah. The sky's light. No sign of dark, haunted forests here."

_-a few minutes later-_

"OHMYGODIT'SGETTINGDARKFUCK."

"GET INSIDE THAT RANDOM ASS HOUSE! NOW!"

* * *

"The hell are all these pages?"

"Again, it's _that_ you choose to focus on?"

"Well, what should I be focusing on then, Owen?"

"Oh! I don't know! Maybe the fact that we're being hunted down by _FUCKING_ LEX LUTHOR!?"

"You mean Slender Man?"

"Bald head, crappy suit. Same thing, really…"

* * *

"So, this guy doesn't have a face?"

"Nope."

"Okay, so then how does he kill you?"

"What?"

"Yeah. How does he kill you? I mean, he doesn't _look_ like he has any weapons on him. Only that cheap suit. And, without a mouth or teeth, there's _no_ _way_ he could harm you that way. I don't _think_ he has any nails. There is literally _no_ _possible_ _way_ for this to work."

"Owen, he's an evil spirit."

"With a cheap suit and _no way_ of killing you!"

* * *

"Does anybody else other than me find the name "Slender Man" excessively hilarious?"

"..."

"I mean, come on! "Slender Man"? _SERIOUSLY_!?"

"Again, Bart. _Evil_ _spirit_."

* * *

"Ha! We're in the bathroom!"

"OHMYGODTHEREHEISFUCKINGRUN."

* * *

"Ohhh! We're in the T.V!"

"How spooky."

_-a few minutes later-_

"OHMYGODCLOSEALLTHEWINDOWSYOUBASTARD."

"THIS. IS. TERRIFYING."

* * *

"Dammit all! I can't get away from fucking Slender Man's boy toy!"

"Umm...what?"

"Never mind that! Just help me get into this damned elevator already!"

* * *

"Oh yeah. Because walking through the forest at night is the _best_ idea."

"You seem to be forgetting this is a horror game."

"You seem to be forgetting this dude has no way of possibly hurting us-"

"AHHH. EVERYTHING WENT BLACK."

"OH GOD. HE'S GOING TO KILL US."

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HIM _NOT_ BEING ABLE TO KILL US!?"

* * *

"How did our supposed "friend" leave all these notes here, anyways? Like, what, did she just take the time to hang up each and every note or letter whilst running away from Slender Man?"

"Not to mention all the drawings…"

"Slender Man be like: " _Oh yeah! Just take all the time you need. I'll kill you after that, kay?_ "."

"I thought it was _Slender Man_ doing all of that…"

"He can draw?"

"WHY DID WE EVEN COME HERE TO BEGIN WITH?"

"So many questions…"

* * *

"AND now we're in a cave."

"Bat Boy be like : _WHHAAA_?"

"I actually think Batman would quite like it in here. It's nice and dark. He likes the dark, right?"

"Did you know Robin was actually called Bat Boy at one point?"

" _You're fucking kidding me."_

"Guys. Shouldn't we be focusing on the cave?"

"Oh yeah. _That_."

"Bat Boy be like: _WHHAAA_?"

"Shut up, Bart."

* * *

"THEFORESTISONFIRE."

" _I fell into a burning ring of fire-"_

"OHMYGODWHATDOWEDO?"

" _-I went down, down, down. And the flames, they went higher."_

"RUN! WE FUCKING RUN IS WHAT WE DO!"

" _I SAID BURN, BABY, BURN-!"_

"BART, YOU'RE _NOT_ HELPING."

* * *

"So, this is the end? We're trapped in a room? With our friends dead body?"

"Ugh. This is so predictable. LIke, seriously! Ohhhh! Fire an creepy notes! _How terrifying_ …"

"AND...JUMPSCARE! There it is! Fucking called it!"

"Booorrrriinnngggg!"

"This is lame!"

"Worst. Game. _Ever_."

" _BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_!"

"Next game!"

* * *

AGAR.IO

"So, what's our name going to be?"

"FluffyDuck1765!"

"Impulse Is The Best!"

"300 Years Old And Counting."

"Big Blob it is."

* * *

"OHHH! What's that thing with all the numbers on it?!"

"That's the leaderboard, Bart."

"Oh! Why aren't we on it?"

" _God..."_

* * *

"Ohhh! Big Blob is making it's way up to the leader board!"

"Great job Owen!"

"Well, thanks, I-"

"OH GOD. _AY LMAO_ AT TEN O'CLOCK."

"Ahh! We're gonna DIE!"

"NOBODY'S dying."

"WE JUST GOT EATEN. _THANKS_ OWEN."

"HEY. _NO_."

* * *

" _I want you for worse or for better-_ "

"Bart."

" _-I would wait for ever and ever-_ "

"Stop singing."

" _-broke your heart, i'll put it back toge-_ "

"SHUT UP."

"We just got eaten. Again."

" _DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!"_

* * *

"Big Blob is number nine on the leaderboard!"

"Hey! That's awesome!"

"It's been decided. You're the best at controlling, Jenni-"

"We just got eaten. Again again."

" _Fuck_."

* * *

"OWEN!"

"What?"

"You're using cheats!"

"It's called _mods_."

" _STILL COUNTS_ AS CHEATING YOU _IDIOT._ "

* * *

"WE'RE NUMBER ONE."

" _WHAT_."

"No. Fucking. Way."

"I swear! Look!"

"WEAREOHMYGOD."

"This is _amazing_!"

"Okay, guys, calm down. Let's just not get-"

"NOOOOOOOO! WE WERE POPPED! AND EATEN!"

"Owen jinxed us!"

"Why is it always _MY FAULT_!?"

* * *

"Hey! This guy wants to team with us!"

"How do you know that?"

"Look! He's giving Big Blob little blobs! And we're eating them!"

"Doesn't that technically mean we're cannibals?"

"We're getting bigger. Doesn't matter."

"Thad just ate the friend."

"THAD."

"What?"

"...Are you kidding me right now?"

"Guys, we just got eaten 'cause nobody was controlling."

"Again again again."

"You know what? I give up. Fuck this."

* * *

FLAPPY BIRD

"So, what kind of bird is Flappy Bird?"

" _What_?"

"Like, is it a duck, or a goose? Maybe a-"

"Bart. Don't you _dare_ start."

" _But-_ "

"One more word and i'll kill you myself."

* * *

"Is this a crossover from Mario?"

"Yeah! I noticed that! The pipes look exactly like-!"

" _Great_. Now Jenni and Bart are double teaming us…"

"I'll kill them both. _I really will."_

* * *

"That noise he makes everytime he jumps is _really_ annoying."

"Why is it instantly considered a "he", Thad?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah Thad! What if _she's_ a _girl?"_

" _You've got to be kidding me._ "

"How dare you instantly assume the sex of a clearly non-gender specified person! Flappy Bird can be whatever _they_ want to be!"

"Yeah! You sexist pig!"

"Are you guys kidding me right now?"

* * *

"I'M AT FIFTY JUMPS."

"Owen. Bart got that score, like, an _hour_ ago."

" _SHUTUPI'MWINNING_."

* * *

" _Boorrriinnngggggg_."

"Come on! I'm so close to beating Thad's high score!"

"Owen. Imma borrow this."

" _NO_! Give it back!"

"What are you going to do Jenni?"

"Okay! Who wants to see if Flappy Bird works when you tap it-"

"It does."

" _-with superspeed."_

"..."

* * *

"So, apparently it doesn't work."

"Jenni, you broke Owen's phone."

" _YOU WHAT_?"

"Shut up, Thad."

"The phone couldn't take the acceleration of our little fingy-wingies, and not only completely broke the game without the use of cheats, but cracked Owen's phone right in half as well!"

" _Gee_. Thanks for the narration _Bart…_ "

" _NOOOOOOOOOOOOO-_!"


	5. Bad Breakups And Snuff Films!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exactly what the chapter title says! ;)
> 
> (maybe...wth am I even doing?)

Owen Mercer was having a crap day.

Okay, so, crap day didn't even begin to describe it. He was having an awful day, from the moment he fell out of bed when he woke up that morning to bashing into his bedroom door when trying to exit his room.

Then there had been the fact that he had burned his waffles, ran out of coffee, had his favorite show horribly spoiled online, and had forgotten his pants when he had gone down the stairs of his apartment to check for mail.

Of course, everything seemed to be crap since a few days ago. After his current girlfriend, Lisa, had broken up with him, he had been feeling quite down. Usually, it was nothing to him. A girl was a girl, and that was all. He had no consideration for most of the girls he got together with, and managed to get over every and all of his broken relationships pretty quickly. It was the kind of person he was.

But, this girl had been different. It didn't matter who had initiated the first conversation, or who had leaned in for the first kiss, but it had felt like a far cry from all the others. More real. He had actually been enjoying himself for awhile there.

He should have expected everything to go to shit. It always did.

Now, he sat pathetically on his couch, curled up in a pathetic little ball, pathetically watching _Keeping Up With The Kardashians_. Their superficial problems made him feel a bit better about his life, but not much better. He couldn't get his mind off of Lisa, the girl that had literally torn his heart to shreds.

He chewed at a block of ramen, laying clad in his Batman underwear. The last time he had showered was...well...he didn't want to think about that. There were bags under his eyes and his pupils were dilated and looked slightly crazed when he peered in the mirror.

Owen had since covered all the mirrors in his house with random dirtied sheets he could find.

The entire thing looked abandoned.

Joy.

Anyways, this was all he was doing until, of course, the world decided to screw him over even more and the doorbell rang. And, it didn't just ring. It rang about fifty times in less than a minute.

Owen, sadly, instantly knew who it was.

" _Fuck off!"_ he called out, huffing and curling himself even further into a ball. There was a giggle outside the door and about twenty more rings before suddenly he was staring right into bright, green eyes.

"Hey Owen!" Bart exclaimed.

"FUCKING CHRIST!" Owen screamed bloody murder, jumping about a foot in the air. Bart giggled even more, and Owen's eyes narrowed.

"Allen, what the fuck are you doing in my apartment?" he hissed. Bart blinked and snapped his fingers.

"It was Thad's idea!" he proclaimed proudly. Owen blinked in confusion. _Thad's_ idea? _Seriously_?

"It was not." another voice grumbled, and from out of the shadows appeared a figure that looked exactly like the annoyance that was his little brother, other than the obvious dyed blonde hair and blue contacts.

Thad. Bart's clone. Or, Owen's younger brother.

Honestly, he didn't know much about Thad. But, he could barely deal with one Bart, let alone two. So, his crap day just got crappier.

"I don't give a flying rat's ass whose idea it was. Get the hell out." was Owen's blunt response. Thad's eyebrow raised and Bart pouted.

"But Owen! Mom said that you were having relationship problems-"

" _She what?"_

"-and I should come over and cheer you up! You know, like brother's do for each other!" the brunette finished, his smile all but blinding. Owen growled out.

"Get. Out." he hissed once more. Thad walked over and plopped down next to him on the couch. He crinkled his nose almost disgustedly.

"You can try all you want, but the idiot can be quite persistent. You'll ultimately end up failing." he said, then eyed his boxers and snickered. "Nice ass, Batman."

Owen turned red in the face, and covered himself with a blanket. For the love of- He could have dealt with this _any_ other day _but_ this one. Bart was a huge pain in the ass, and his clone was a fucking piece of shit.

And Owen felt like shit. Everything was awful.

"Oh!" Bart exclaimed, speeding around the room. "What's this? And this? And this? _OhthisissocrashThadcomecheckthisout_."

Owen blinked, having lost track of what Bart was saying. He turned back to the more reasonable blonde, who seemed at least willing to listen. He was staring curiously at the television.

"Who in the hell is the huge, real-life sex doll?" he questioned bluntly. It took Owen about a minute to understand he was referring to Kim, and he burst out laughing. Thad scoffed, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I resent the fact that you are mocking me." he muttered, and Owen's laughter subsided. He returned to that sad, depressed attitude he had been having for the last couple of days. He decided to take a different approach to getting the two the hell out of his place. The calm and understanding one. Maybe he could guilt them out. Hopefully.

"Look," he began, "I know that you think you might be helping me. But, really, I just need some time alone, yeah? So…" he trailed off as Bart walked in with his plunger in hand. He was brushing his hair with it. He stared unblinking at Bart for a few minutes, unable to say anything at all.

"Thad, I don't think this hair brush works very well…" he mummered, trying to tug it out from his brown locks that had him in a death grip. Thad sighed, and ran a hand in his hair.

"You're doing it wrong." he proclaimed, "It's actually a toothbrush."

Owen choked on his own spit.

"Oh...well, okay!" Bart hummed, and was about to shove the entire thing down his throat when Thad scowled, sped over to him, grabbed it, hurled it to the other side of the room and sped back to the couch. He sighed in exasperation, though there was a small smile on his face.

"Nice one." Owen snickered, and Thad sighed once more.

"Honestly. He's going to get himself killed someday with that attitude." Thad grumbled, and Owen chuckled.

"Very true. I'm surprised it's not happened already." he responded. Bart was...not the most cautious person in the world. Actually, he basically had zero to no concept of danger or mortality in any sense of the word. It could prove to be quite problematic at times, especially when Owen was forced to go save his ass.

Though, he got the feeling that Thad did that more than he did.

He and Lisa used to take turns saving each other. Not in the hero kind of way, but in the sense that if she was struggling with her school work or an old ex-boyfriend, Owen would go and either finish the work or kick the guy's ass. And, if Owen was having family problems, or was busy and needed somebody to cover for him, Lisa was there.

She was always there with a smile on her face. Straight, brown hair and ruby, red lips with that lipstick that stained his own chapped (lips) when they kissed. She was a rebel but a student. Crazy but responsible. A drama queen but a lover.

She was beautiful.

It had been all Owen's fault.

He had been out late one day. Being in the business could do that to you, despite the fact that Owen's business was everything and anything he could find. He did whatever he wanted, so long as he could feel the freedom that came with doing it.

He had come back way late.

Words had been exchanged between the two. Words turned to screams. Screams turned to a fist and a bruise on her cheek. Owen had a temper that he didn't quite know how to control. When he got angry, it was as bad as a Superboy on drugs.

She hadn't cried-she was far too proud to do so. She instead gave him one final look and walked out of his life.

He had kind of spiralled after that. Who knew what came next.

Maybe he didn't even want it to come.

And, he became aware of the fact that he was doing it again. Slipping and spiralling. Falling into a pit where thoughts and memories of her just wouldn't stop bubbling up. It was almost laughable, because Owen was one to laugh at the breakup stories in movies or in books. They all seemed so pathetic, and it was unfathomable that they hadn't moved on after so long.

But after Lisa...he became aware that it all had to do with perspective. From an outsider's point of view, Owen's story would be equally as pathetic. It would be stupid that he still wasn't over it. But they weren't inside his head. They couldn't really understand.

They didn't know her. Not like he did.

Or, had.

Was he supposed to use past or present tense? Was it he _loved_ her or _loves_ her? So many questions.

It was for this exact shitty reason he tended not to fall in love in the first fucking place.

"You look like shit." Thad deadpanned, and Owen turned to glare at him. Asshole. He didn't know why he was surprised though.

"Thanks, bro. So glad to have somebody like you here in my time of need." he sarcastically remarked, and Thad stared at him for about a minute.

"That was sarcasm." he stated. Owen rolled his eyes.

"Yes. Thank you, Captain Obvious." he growled. Thad blinked once more.

"You're welcome." he answered, sincerity in his voice mixed with slight confusion. Owen facepalmed.

" _Also_ sarcasm. _Honestly_."

Thad blanked. "Oh."

Bart sped up once more, animal crackers in his tiny little hands. Well, most of them were in his mouth. It took Owen about a minute to realize...

"Hey! Those are mine!" he exclaimed, attempting to grab at the crackers, but Bart dodged swiftly with his superhuman speed. Owen groaned as Bart crammed another cracker down his gullet.

" _Thes aw rely god!"_ he announced, but Owen got nothing, as his cheeks were filled to the brim with _his_ animal crackers. He scowled. Thad sighed.

"Mouth shut when you eat, idiot." he muttered, and Bart swallowed before saying he was sorry.

"Maybe just keep it shut, like, all the time." Owen mumbled, and Thad actually let out a snort at that one. Bart blinked, and crossed his arms over his chest.

" _That'snotverynicei'mtellingmom._ " he spoke in practically a blur, before rushing off into another room. At this point, Owen had given up on trying to get him out of the apartment or to sit still at the very least. He had come to terms with the fact that he was probably going to have to renovate the entire place after the boy had left. Knowing him, he had already broken about every valuable item he had.

Owen sighed, and shut his eyes, attempting to block out any and every thought he could have. Thoughts about Lisa, Bart, Thad, and his stupid Batman underwear.

"Can you please take him and leave?" Owen pleaded with Thad, not bothering to open his eyes. He balled his hands into fists, biting his lip. Hard.

Bart had apparently decided to turn on the stereo and blast it at full volume. It scattered his thoughts about the face. He had a huge headache.

"Nope." was Thad's response. Owen sighed again.

" _Awesome_."

"Owen, can we watch a movie? I want to watch a movie! I'll go get a movie!" Bart took off out the front door before either of them could stop him. Owen sighed in relief, but his dread soon returned as he realized that Bart would be back. And with God-knows what he could bring with him.

It ranged from a Disney movie to a snuff film.

He was exaggerating in no sense of the matter.

"Shouldn't you go after him?" Owen questioned tentatively, secretly hoping that he would and Owen could have a few more moments of peace to collect himself before everything went to hell when the two demon spawns inevitably returned.

"Nope." Thad repeated, and Owen innerly cursed his rotten luck. "You're just trying to find a way to get rid of me. Besides, he has less of a chance of dying if i'm with him. Maybe this way, we'll get lucky, and he won't come back."

Owen stared over at Thad in shock. The blonde was too busy staring at the T.V. to spare him a second glance, though. Owen had clearly misjudged him. Underestimated his capabilities. It was weird. Despite being his clone, Thad acted nothing like Bart. Infact, he was the complete opposite. Silent. Thoughtful. And-dare he say- _smart_.

It was _really_ weird.

"You're…" Owen trailed off, the words lost on his tongue. Thad turned to stare at him, the Kardashians almost completely forgotten.

"Not like him?" Thad questioned, as though reading Owen's mind. He gulped. Yeah, he had _really_ underestimated him. "I get that a lot."

"Yeah. So do I. I... _think_." Owen had indeed been compared to Bart quite a lot, but he probably couldn't even compare to the clone sitting in front of him. An exact copy of his brother. It was odd to even think about. Strip away the blonde hair and the blue eyes, and you'd have Bart.

Or, maybe not. Thad was clearly more capable than Bart. He had the speed and the brain to match it. A power house. The literal definition of one.

"I'm not very good with this talking thing." Thad spoke up, voice dull and emotionless as though to prove his point, "But, Jenni says that sometimes talking does some people good. I don't know how to proceed after that. But, I believe the correct thing to do in this situation would be to have you "open up", as she described."

Owen blinked. Jenni had said all that? Had she and Meloni been plotting this?

Honestly, Owen would rather have Jenni there. It would be better than the energetic speedster and the unfeeling clone.

But, Thad's offer seemed comforting. He himself had never been very good at expressing himself. And, if Thad had less of an idea of what was going on than he did, what was really the worst that could happen?

"I don't know…" he said shakily, still unsure of what to do. "I-I just don't think…" he trailed off, knowing that he had most probably successfully gotten his message across to the blonde who was once more staring at the television screen intently.

"I have no use for your information." he said, and Owen wanted to tell him that he had to work on his skills of reassuring people, "This useless television show is of more interest to me than your "relationship" problem. I offer my ears, not petty coaxes or comfort. Take it or leave it."

Owen decided to take it.

He ranted his heart out to the younger (or, technically mentally older) clone, not even sure whether or not he was even listening. He never took his eyes off the screen in front of him, and only occasionally nodded in a sign that he was actually listening.

Owen didn't even care. It felt good to get everything off his chest. He just went on and on and on. He felt relieved, like he could actually breathe for the first time in a long time. The heated environment around him that made him sweat and turn red with embarrassment was washed away with the coming of new winds. The cool, fresh air filled his lungs.

And, memories of her still lingered-they always would-but, he let go of a piece of her. It was only one small piece, and there were still many more to go. But, it was a start.

It only took a start to envision a finish.

By the time Bart had returned, Owen and Thad had long since fallen into silence, staring at the box that slowly but surely sucked all life away. Bart entered with a huge grin on his face.

"You'll never guess what happened guys!" he exclaimed, and proceeded to tell them the story of where he had been for the past hour. Owen didn't catch much of it, because he explained most of it with superspeed, but he got some parts.

Something about a crocodile and then ending up in outer space and having to evade Cobra at one point, only to end up stuck with a pimp and then getting buried somewhere.

Or, maybe he was hearing wrong. Knowing Bart, though, it was probably all true.

No snuff film this time, but a Disney one. Beauty And The Beast. A classic. Thad scowled half the time about how unrealistic it was, and how the entire thing was encouraging Stockholm syndrome, human trafficking, and racism. Bart watched with wide and innocent eyes. Owen himself found himself smiling every once in awhile as well.

What could he say? He was a sucker for love stories.

But he'd _never_ tell a soul. _Ever_.

In the darkness of the apartment in his Batman briefs, sitting on the couch with one loudmouth brunette and a grumbly clone, Owen became grateful for the fact that they had came.

This was actually... _pretty nice_.

…

He still rather preferred Jenni's company over the both of them combined, though.

* * *

When Meloni walked in about two hours later to find all three boys passed out with Bart sprawled across the couch, head resting on Owen's lap, Thad leaning on Owen's shoulder, and Owen's right hand tangled in Bart's hair with his left hung around Thad's shoulder, she smiled, shut off the stereo, and walked right back out.

She could only imagine what their faces would look like when they finally woke up like that.


	6. Picture Of The Four (#1)

Jenni Ognats on the top left. Owen Mercer top right. Bart Allen bottom left. Thad Thawne bottom right.

I wanted to practice drawing these guys. I'm a little rusty, but whatever. I'll get better with time, I guess! So, yeah. This is the first picture of hopefully more to come!

Any ideas for a new chapter, ya'll? 


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